Deux trames interférentes jaune/blanc, 1953

CommentaryThe development of geometric abstraction was not disrupted by World War II. François Morellet was introduced to the concept of Concrete Art by Swiss-born Max Bill. In exploring this path, Morellet systematized his working style to achieve an almost scientific approach. The painting ›Deux trames interférentes jaune/blanc‹ (Two Interfering Grids Yellow/White) clearly demonstrates at a glance how fundamentally his artistic approach differed from those pursued in Constructivism and De Stijl: no composition of forms can be found in Morellet’s images, with the surface covered in systematically arranged patterns. By changing the width of the bars, the artist achieved the effect of two gentle bulges. This early painting already anticipated the development of his later work and an important art movement. Here, the pictorial investigation of an alchemy of forms is placed in relation to the beholder and to its visual appeal.